Unit One

Finding a Topic

1.1 Assessing Your Prior Interest and Knowledge

an author you like best a book that has touched you in some

profound ways a theory or idea that has impacted the way

you look at the world a teaching method that you find quite

effective Examples:

1.2 Narrowing the Topic –Creating a Good Title

1.2.1 Necessity of Narrowing a Topic

Some topics will take forever, perhaps a lifetime, to study, and what they have is only a few months before graduation.

Besides, there is no way that these broad topics can be covered satisfactorily in their senior theses.

1.2.2 How to Narrow Down the Topic

By time By place By position By classification

1.2.3 A Few More Questions Before Committing Yourself to the Topic

Am I really interested in the topic? Do I know enough to write about the topic?

what are my strengths and weaknesses in working on this topic? What can I do to strengthen my weak areas concerning this topic?

Can I obtain enough reference materials for the topic?

Unit Two

Process of Writing a Thesis Paper

Techniques for Inventing

Freewriting Brainstorming Branching Cubing Questioning Generating New Ideas by Critical Reading

2.1 Freewriting

2.1.1 Definition of Freewriting: 2.2.2 Two kinds of freewriting: One is completely free, without any focus or any s

ense of direction. Another kind of freewriting, which is called looping,

is more focused. You use looping when you already have an idea or know what you want to write about (whether assigned or chosen by yourself).

2.2 Brainstorming

2.2.1 Definition of Brainstorming 2.2.2 The Difference Between Freewriting and Brai

nstorming: The difference is that you already have an idea or topic (as in looping). Specifically, brainstorming is a way of developing ideas by listing everything you can think of about the topic in a column-like fashion ( that’s why this technique is also called “listing,” but we prefer the much more vivid “brainstorming.”).

2.3 Branching

2.3.1 Definition of Branching: 2.3.2 Procedures of Branching: Write your topic in the middle of a piece of paper

and draw a circle around it. Think of related ideas and write them near the

circle. Connect each to the circle with a line. These ideas are called the primary branches.

Think of ideas (facts, details, examples, etc.) related to each of the primary branches (twigs).

2.3 Branching

2.3.3 Benefits of Branching: It generates ideas, like brainstorming , but

more structured. It shows visually logical relation between

and among ideas. It makes it easier for you to develop focus

and to plan the essay later.

2.4 Cubing

2.4.1 Definition of Cubing 2.4.2 Each of the six sides of a cube stands for a

perspective: Describing Comparing Associating Analyzing Applying Arguing

2.4 Cubing 2.4.3 Procedures of Cubing: Select a subject (a person, a scene, an event, an object, a pr

oblem, an idea, or an issue ) as your focus. Begin to freewrite but limit your writing to three to five minutes

for each perspective (don’t drag it out too long). With each perspective, begin with what you already know, an

d indicate what else you would like to know ( for further research).

Be sure to write from all six perspectives because cubing is meant to enable you to have a quick look at the subject from multiple perspectives.

When finished, reread to look for interesting, insightful, and potentially useful things you have generated so that you can use them in planning and drafting the essay.

2.5 Questioning 2.5.1 Definition of Questioning:

2.5.2 Basic elements of Questioning: Who What When Where Why How

2.6 Generating New Ideas by Critical Reading 2.6.1 Necessity of Critical Reading 2.6.2 What to be Drawn from Critical Reading: By critical reading, we mean you read not only for comprehension (through

annotating , outlining, paraphrasing, summarizing, and synthesizing), but also to analyze the values and assumptions embodied in the texts and examine their historical, cultural as well as literary contexts.

Critical reading not only directs your attention to those points and ideas that often escape a passive, casual reading, but also yields ideas for further research and writing.

Also, by critical reading, you may find different ways of thinking: those of your own and those employed by others; discover new and significant relationships: between two things which are, at first glance or fundamentally, different; between various parts of the same things; between what is inside something and what is outside it; between something present and something from the past. Finding relationships is not only a way to clarify your thoughts and generate new ideas but also one of the central features of all academic writing and thinking.

Unit Three

Procedures of Doing the Research

3.1 Field Research

3.1.1 What is Field Research?

3.1.2 Three Ways of Field Research: Observing Interviewing Using questionnaires

3.2 Observing

Three Basic Steps of Observing: Planning the visit

Observing and note-taking

Writing up the notes

3.2.1 Planning the Visit

To ensure that your observational visits are fruitful, you should plan carefully:

First, you should try to get access to the place you want to visit.

Second, you should be well equipped with the necessary tools: notebook (preferably with a firm back) and a portable tape recorder (if you prefer to dictate your observations).

3.2.2 Observing and Note-Taking

Perspectives: You can observe the subject from a single perspective or multiple vantage points.

Setting: While observing, pay particular attention to the setting or the physical environment and try to catch sensory details related to sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

People: Their activities, movements, behavior, appearance, dress, and (overheard) speech, and anything interesting, unusual and surprising.

Reactions: Your own feelings and thoughts while observing the subject are an important part of the process, too.

Note-taking: You can take notes in words, phrases, or sentences.

3.3 Interviewing 3. 3.1 Planning the Interview: First, you need to decide whom to interview. Second， you should explain briefly but clearly why you

need to interview the individual, how important this interview is to you, ask for his or her cooperation, and arrange for a time which is convenient for both the subject and yourself.

Third, you should be prepared with a number of questions so that your interview will produce valuable information and you will not sit there chitchatting and wasting everybody’s time.

Fourth, remember to bring your tools: a notebook (with a firm back) and a tape recorder.

3.3 Interviewing

Two Basic Types of Questions in the Interviewing:

Closed Question: Closed questions request specific information and direct answers.

Open Question: Open questions, on the other hand, give the subject range and flexibility.

3.3 Interviewing

3.3.2 Writing up the Notes :Right after the interview, find a quiet place to review and add to your notes, reflect upon the interview, and summarize it:

What are your main impressions? What are the most memorable quotations? What are the most striking details?

3.4 Using Questionnaire

To run a survey efficiently, one should: Choose a Focus Develop the Questionnaire Administer the Questionnaire Sum up the Results

3.5 Library Research

A typical college library has the following basic sources which can help you locate the information you want to find:

General references Indexes Abstracts Catalogs Bibliographies Electronics and Online sources

3.6 Internet Search The following are a few well-known websites, online encyclopedias and dictionaries: Library of Congress (http://lcweb.loc.gov) : the site provides the holdings, exhibits and ot

her Internet resources of the Library of Congress of the United State. The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com): this is New York Times online, offering w

ide range of newspaper articles and other materials. Purdue University Online Writing Lab (http://owl.english.purdue.edu): this site provides va

rious sources for writers, including sections on English as a second language. Library Resources (http://www.indiana.edu/-vlib.digital.html); this site offers links to a wid

e range of sites, including The Modern English Collection which collects poetry, drama, fiction, nonfiction, correspondences, etc.

Educational Resources Information Center (http://ericfac.occcard.csc.com): this website provides a bibliographical database for articles and documents relates to education published since 1966.

Britannica.com (http://www.britannica.com/): provides more than 17,000short articles from the Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Third Edition.

Encyclopedia of the Orient (http://i-cias.com/e.o/index.html): with photos and sound; specializes in North Africa and the Middle East.

3.6 Internet Search The following are a few well-known websites, online encyclopedias and dictionaries: Encyclopedia Smithsonian (http://www.si.edu/edu/resource/faq/): information about a vari

ety of topics, from Smithsonian Institution sources. Grove Dictionary of Art Online (http://www.groveart.com/index.html): a comprehensive on

line reference resource for all aspects of the visual arts worldwide from prehistory to the present day.

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (http://plato.stanford.edu/): contains a quarterly updated, referred resource for philosophers.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary (http://www.m-w.com/dictionary.html): online English dictionary and thesaurus.

AskOxford.com (http://www.askoxford.com/): contains a dictionary and thesaurus, as well as quotations, word of the day, and lexicography.

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition (http://www.bartleby.com/61/)

Wordsmith Educational Dictionary-Thesaurus (http://www.wordsmyth.net/): American English dictionary with an integrated thesaurus and other lexical resources.

Biographical Dictionary (http://www.s9.com/biography/): covers more than 28,000 notable men and women who have shaped our world from ancient times to the present day.

3.8 A Six-Step Approach to Research

Step 1 Searching for a topic Step 2 Narrowing Your Search Step 3 Narrowing Your Topic Step 4 Gathering Information Step 5 Using Information Step 6

Documenting Sources Used in Your Writing

Unit Four

Mechanics

4.1 Capitalization In English thesis writing, the conventions of capitalization are well stan

dardized as follows: 1. The first word of a sentence should be capitalized. 2. The first word of a line of poetry should be capitalized. 3. Proper nouns and proper adjectives should be capitalized like Mary,

Europe. 4. Titles of individuals should be capitalized like Peofessor Smith. 5. Academic institutions should be capitalized like United Nations. 6. All the words in the titles of works should be capitalized except aricle

s (a, an, the), coordinate conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so), prepositions (to, at, before, between) ,and the word to in an infinitive, for example: Emily Dickinson: The Mind of the Poet.

7. Capitalize the words that refer to religions, saints, sacred writings, and religious orders like Bible.

4.2 Abbreviations Here are some helpful rules for abbreviations: 1. Personal and professional titles and Academic degrees, like Mrs. Smith. 2. Abbreviations denoting time like A. M. or a.m. 3. Initials in a person’s name like John F. Kennedy 4. Abbreviations for Place names like AZ (Arizona) 5. Organizations should be abbreviated like IBM 6. Latin Abbreviations: avoidng using the following Latin abbreviations except w

hen givng parenthetical information or citing sources ina research paper. Avoid ending a sentence with an abbreviation. A sentence ending with etc., for example, leaves the impression that you either do not care to give more examples or have run out of them.

i.e. (id est, that is) e.g. (exepli gratia, for example) etc. (ec cetera, and so forth) c.f. (confer, compare)

4.3 Italicizing and Underlining 4.3.1 Titles 4.3.1.1 Books: The Chinese Enlightenment (the Chinese E

nlightenment) 4.3.1.2 Plays: the Widerness 4.3.1.3 Films and T. V. Programs: Early Spring 4.1.1.4 Newspapers, Magazines, Academic Journals: The

People’s Daily 4.1.1.5 Artworks (Visual and Musical): Xian Xinghai’s Yello

w River 4.3.2 Words and Phrases for Distinction or Emphasis. 4.3.3 Foreign word and phrases.

4.4 Spelling

Dictionary is the only reliable indicator when you are not sure about the spelling of a word or when variant spelling exist. Consistency of words should be maintained throughout the paper. You can best ensure consistency by always adopting the spelling that your dictionary gives first in any entry with variant spellings.

4.5 Enumeration

One may wish to give some items special emphasis by designating them in a series with numerals or lowercase letters. When the list of items is short enough to be run smoothly into the text, identifying numerals are enclosed in parentheses. Note that numbers (letters) used to enumerate items in text stand out better when they are set in double parentheses than when they are followed by periods.

4.6 Spacing

4.6.1 Spaces around Punctuation Marks

4.6.2 Margins

4.6.3 Indention

4.6.4 Centered Material

Unit Five

Documentation Systems

The most popular documentation styles include:

American Psychological Association (APA) style

Modern Language Association (MLA) style and Chicago Manual style

5.1 APA Style

What is APA Style?

5.1.1 Reference in the text

5.1.2 Direct quotations

5.1.3 Reference list

5.1.1 Reference in the text

5.1.1.1 Single author 5.1.1.2 Two authors 5.1.1.3 Three to five authors 5.1.1.4 Six authors or more 5.1.1.5 Multiple publications, same author 5.1.1.6

Multiple publications, different authors

5.1.2 Direct quotations

The same rules as above apply here, the format being (Author, Year, Page, Number).

Here is an example of reformulation (Grossen, 1996, p. 118)

5.1.3 Reference list 5.1.3.1 Book by one author 5.1.3.2 Book by two or more authors 5.1.3.3 Article in an edited book 5.1.3.4 Article in a monthly magazine 5.1.3.5 Article in a newspaper 5.1.3.6 Electronic sources: a. Internet article based on a print source b. Article in an Internet-only journal c. Article in an Internet-only newsletter

5.2 MLA style

5.2.1 Citation and bibliography format 5.2.2 List of works cited: 5.2.2.1 Book 5.2.2.2

Entry in an encyclopedia or dictionary 5.2.2.3

Article in a periodical (magazine or journal) 5.2.2.4 Website

5.3 Chicago Manual

5.3.1 Book 5.3.2 Journal article 5.3.3 Newspaper article 5.3.4 Book review 5.3.5 Thesis or dissertation 5.3.6 Paper presented at a meeting or

conference 5.3.7 Web site 5.3.8 Item in online database

5.3.1 Book

5.3.1.1 By one author 5.3.1.2 By Two authors 5.3.1.3 By Three or more authors 5.3.1.4 By Editor, translator, or compiler

instead of author 5.3.1.5 From a Chapter or other part of a

book

5.3.2 Journal article

5.3.2.1 Article in a print journal

5.3.2.2 Article in an online journal